There are 353 hotels in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), more than three times the figure 10 years ago. Some 3.8 million people visited the UAE in 2001. Dubai, with 280 hotels receives five percent more tourists on an annual basis.

Dubai expects to receive six million visitors by 2010. Average occupancy rates in seafront hotels stood at 73.1 percent last year, compared with 63.7 percent in Dubai’s other hotels. The Emirate’s success in attracting tourists encouraged authorities to waive visa requirements for nationals of 33 countries, including the United States and several European and Asian countries. — (menareport.com)